


The Art of Kissing

by Syrum



Series: Arts and Crafts [1]
Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: F/M, First Kiss, Innocence, Kissing, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-01
Updated: 2015-03-01
Packaged: 2018-03-15 19:55:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,423
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3459971
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Syrum/pseuds/Syrum
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After slaying one of the many High Dragons of Thedas, a rather inappropriate encounter on the battlefield between Bull and the Inquisitor leaves Dorian to answer Cole's many questions about kissing.</p><p>Or, that one time Cole played matchmaker in Skyhold.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Art of Kissing

**Author's Note:**

> The barmaid in question is the one from that adorable little comic that did the rounds a while back, and who I have never been able to get out of my head!

The dragon fell with a final ear-splitting roar, the ground trembling under its massive girth as it landed upon its belly and lay still, dead. Silence filled the fire-hewn meadow for a moment, even the birds silent following the monumental battle with the behemoth, before it was pierced once more with joyful whoops and pleased laughter. Bull’s axe lay forgotten upon the ground as he hefted the tiny Lavellan into his arms, her laughter like a tinkling bell, the elf wrapping slender legs as far around the Qunari’s massive waist as she could, arms around his neck. Both were stained red with blood from the fallen beast and their own wounds, sweat and dirt colouring what parts the blood had missed, and if anything this only spurred the two warriors on. Bull spun his young lover around for a moment or two, before stopping to press the elf back against the flank of the dragon, pinning her between his own bulk and that of the now-dead lizard. Her lips found his before he could even think to kiss her, and they ground together like animals in heat, the low rumbling of Bull’s approval meeting with her own higher-pitched moans.

Dorian could not help but make a disgusted noise in the back of his throat, placing one hand over Cole’s eyes as the spirit boy stared at the scene unfolding in front of them. When it became apparent that neither warrior was planning on stopping any time soon, and when wandering hands started to venture towards places he most certainly did not want to see, the mage grabbed Cole by the shoulders and steered him around to the other side of the massive corpse, trying to ignore the sounds he could still faintly hear.

“Dorian?” They had settled back against the still-warm belly of the dragon, Dorian rather enjoying the heat, not overly bothered that it was coming from something that no longer drew breath. He was undeniably tired after the battle, coming close to using up his supply of mana entirely by the end of it, so a chance to sit for a while was not something he was about to pass up.

“What is it, Cole?” He turned to face the boy, meeting curious eyes barely visible under the brim of his large hat.

“Why do they do that?” The boy asked plainly, head tilting slightly to one side, the ever-present hat slipping slightly on his head. “The kissing, I mean. I try to understand, but it doesn’t make sense.”

“Different reasons for different people, I suppose.” The mage replied non-committally, trying to rub a bloodstain from his knee. “Sometimes it’s for love, sometimes it’s family. Orlesians and Antivans use it as a greeting, a kiss on the cheek. And then sometimes, it just happens, for no reason at all.”

“Why do they kiss?” He asked, the question almost drowned out by a particularly loud moan that seemed to almost reverberate through the dead lizard.

“You’ll have to ask Lavellan that.” Dorian chuckled, almost looking forward to witnessing that particular conversation, more than a little bitter at having to listen to their inappropriate behaviour.

“You spend a lot of time wanting to kiss, but you don’t, why is that?” He hadn’t noticed the uncomfortable shift in position, or the slight frown on the mage’s face.

“You can’t always have what you want. Kisses must be freely given, I’m not the type to simply take what I want.” Dorian replied firmly, hoping to end the conversation, yet knowing how insistent the boy could be at times.

“And that’s why you stare at the Commander the way you do?”

“Cole, please! No one is meant to know about that.” Dorian spluttered, and he might have been concerned that the other two could overhear if not for the noise they were still making. He could feel his cheeks darken, and that in itself was almost as embarrassing as the spirit’s prying questions.

“I’m sorry, did I say something wrong?” Cole almost looked upset at that, like a kicked puppy, Dorian thought to himself.

“No, it’s fine, just don’t go telling anyone else alright? It’s best if no one else knows.” Most of all the Commander, he thought wryly to himself.

“Can you show me? I want to see what a kiss is like.” He asked so sweetly, there was no way anyone could turn down such a request, and Dorian was pleased none were there to take advantage of the boy.

“Of course.” Smiling softly at the innocence that was ever-present in the spirit, Dorian pushed the boy’s hat up and out of the way, over-long blonde hair moving with it, dipping under the brim to place a small kiss upon Cole’s forehead.

“What sort of kiss was that?” The spirit asked, and coming from anyone other than him it may have sounded like an insult.

“The kind reserved for family.” Dorian hummed, delighting in the beaming smile he earned in response from the boy.

* * *

“Josephine?” The woman placed her quill down carefully and stood to greet the boy, who stood before her in his usual tattered and mis-matched garb, and not for the first time she wondered if he would allow her to find him something more suitable to wear.

“Did you need something?” She asked softly, as Cole stared across the desk at her, his curiosity evident.

“Can you show me what a kiss is?” He asked quietly, and she could only liken his innocence to that of a small child, though she knew he was not. More inexperienced, she supposed, the ways of men clearly so very different from those of the spirits that inhabited the fade.

“Surely you know what a kiss is by now, Cole?” She probed gently, stepping around the expanse of her desk. “The Inquisitor is hardly shy of showing them off, since her relationship came to light, and you do spend a lot of time with her.”

“I’ve seen them, seen lots of people kissing, but I don’t understand it at all.” He paused for a moment as she stood before him, staring up at the tall spirit. “Dorian showed me, before when the dragon fell, he showed me what a friendship kiss was like.”

“And what was it like?” Josephine asked with suspicion. It wasn’t that she didn’t trust the mage - far from it, their friendship was one of the many things she had gained from her time in the Inquisition - but he had something of a reputation. She smiled broadly when, with only a little coaxing, the spirit leaned forward and so very gently placed a kiss upon her forehead.

“He wouldn’t show me the other kinds of kissing, and wouldn’t tell me why.” Cole stated with a small pout, earning a laugh from the Antivan woman.

“I’m glad he did not, it would not have been appropriate.” She replied, still smiling. “Well then, I will show you how to kiss in greeting, so that you know the difference.” She had to stand on her tiptoes to reach his cheek, placing one chaste kiss there before pulling back to do the same on the other cheek, barely a brush of lips against skin.

“Thank you.” The spirit beamed, looking entirely too pleased, and she could only smile back.

* * *

“Dark eyes and darker hair, skin like silk compared to the rough material of the sheets, he is perfection incarnate, deep throaty moans sounding through sinful lips and you have never wanted anything so much as you want _this_.” Cullen had been staring into space for the past half hour, ink long-since dried upon the nib of his quill, mind so far elsewhere that he did not notice the arrival of the spirit. Cole’s words, though, caused him to yelp, pen clattering one way while a stack of papers were knocked from the desk in shock.

“Maker preserve me, don’t _do_ that Cole, you almost gave me a heart attack!” The Commander’s ears had turned pink, and as his mind started to process what the spirit had said, so did his cheeks. “And you can’t go blurting out things like that, anyone might have heard you.”

“I’m sorry, I just wanted to ask a question, and I’ve said something wrong again.” Cole replied, and he looked so dejected that any annoyance Cullen might have felt filtered away, leaving him feeling only mildly embarrassed.

“No, it’s fine, just don’t repeat what you just said.” The Commander sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose as he stood to retrieve the fallen papers. “What was it you needed.”

“I was going to ask about kissing, but I’m not sure I want you to show me that sort of kissing.” Cullen could feel himself turning red all over again, and he felt at least a little guilty at having allowed himself to become quite so distracted. At night was one thing, but he was meant to be working, not fantasising about handsome mages who were frustratingly out of reach.

“Why do you want to know about kissing?” He asked, reaching under his desk for one of the lost pieces of parchment. “Spending too much time around the Inquisitor?”

“She seems to like it. She does it a lot.” Cole replied, nodding his head. “Dorian showed me how families kiss, and Josephine showed me how to greet people with a kiss, but I’m still not entirely sure why people kiss at all.”

“I can’t say I’ve ever really thought about the _why_.” Cullen replied, placing the disordered stack back on his desk and leaning against the solid wood. “It’s just something that feels right. It’s nice, a form of intimacy that you don’t have to hide most of the time.”

“I’m still not sure I get it.”

“Well, let me show you how a kiss can be used to convey feelings to someone.” Stepping forward, Cullen took hold of the boy’s hand, raising it so he was able to bow slightly and press his lips lightly against Cole’s knuckles.

“Have you done that to Dorian yet?” Cole asked quietly, as Cullen released his hand, letting it fall back to his side, earning a small sputter of surprise from the blonde. “You should, I think he would like it.”

* * *

“Krem?” The second in command of the Chargers looked up, squinting slightly, finding his vision blocked by the wide-brimmed hat that Cole always wore.

“Oh, hey...Cole, what’s up?” He grunted, placing the wine bottle back down on the table beside him. “Don’t see you down here too often.”

“I was learning about kissing.” The boy chirped, looking rather pleased with himself. “I’ve been shown kissing between family, in greeting and to show you like someone.” He pointed firstly to his forehead, then his cheek, and finally the back of his hand, earning a nod from the man after each.

“Sounds like you’ve been busy.” Krem replied, looking amused as Bull managed to toss Rocky over onto one of the tables on the other side of the tavern, both Qunari and dwarf roaring with laughter.

“Yes, very.” Cole agreed, looking serious for a moment. “I want to know why people kiss, but it’s very confusing. I keep seeing people kissing on the lips, and no one will show me.”

“Well, normally those sorts of kisses are reserved for people you like.” Krem explained softly, not entirely sure how to handle the situation, but not heartless enough to ignore the spirit’s questioning.

“Don’t you like me?”

“That’s a different kind of like, not love but not far off. It’s different from how friends feel about each other.”

“Oh, so how you like the barmaid who works here?” Cole asked, triumphantly. He was finally starting to understand, though that comprehension only served to open up more questions within his mind.

“Yes, exactly that.” Krem replied with a slight flush, knowing she was not likely to be far away and not wanting his unrequited crush to find out about his feelings just yet. Or, possibly ever, if he carried on the way he was going.

“I don’t think anyone likes me like that.” Cole looked rather crestfallen at that, and Krem wasn’t entirely sure whether it was down to loneliness or simply not satisfying his endless curiosity.

“Look,” Krem sighed heavily, knowing already that he was liable to regret this. “I’ll show you, but just once, and only because I feel bad for you. And you’re _not_ to tell _anyone_ , alright?” Cole simply beamed and nodded, following the man upstairs to a quieter spot where they were less likely to be spotted. In a dark corner, Krem turned, grabbed the brim of Cole’s hat and kissed him, hard, upon the lips. At first, Cole had no idea how to respond, or even if he should, but after a moment or two he started copying the motion of Krem’s lips, kissing back with a confidence brought about by innocence alone.

Krem was surprised when the spirit started kissing back, about to break it off when he felt the motion of lips moving against his own. Hands leaving Cole’s hat, he let them rest on the boy’s shoulders, Cole’s own arms hanging limp at his sides, which he found to be more than a little disconcerting. He was, though, soon distracted by the surprisingly talented mouth claiming his own. Had he not witnessed the astonishingly fast transition himself, he might have thought the spirit to have lied about his inexperience.

“I _understand_ now!” Cole finally beamed as they parted, gasping for breath, and as he leaned down for another kiss, Krem found he did not mind overly.

It was to his surprise, three days later, when the barmaid who he had adored from afar for so many long months sidled up to him, whispered a small ‘thank you’ and placed a sweet kiss upon his cheek. She had dashed off immediately after, blushing profusely, but kept glancing back over to him as she worked. At first, he couldn’t quite work out what had happened, until he spotted the intricate opal and silverite clasp holding back her hair. He recognised it immediately as the one he had bought for her, that he had been too afraid to give to her, fearing rejection, and that had lived under his bed ever since.

Cole, it must have been. It could not have been anyone else, no one knew about the gift, not even Bull. Grinning like an idiot, Krem made a mental note to find a way to thank the spirit later.

**Author's Note:**

> You can find me on syrum.tumblr.com


End file.
